Robotech: Battlecry

The best Robotech videogame yet, and a solid shooter to boot.

Robotech has made a slightly later debut on GameCube, but the final version proves that it is everything its Xbox and PS2 companions are. It is so similar across all three next-generation platforms, the following review was written for all of the IGN channels by Aaron Boulding, a self-proclaimed Robotech devotee, and a full-time editor at IGN. It has been checked for consistency by the IGNcube editors, and is aligned with their opinions as well. You'll, of course, find one of the site-specific editor's opinions available in the closing comments.

For long-time fans of the television series, the arrival of Robotech: Battlecry on GameCube, PS2, and Xbox must seem like some kind of godsend. The shattered promises of Robotech: Crystal Dreams on the N64 and the Macross-themed games on PSX left many gamers yearning for something that felt, looked and sounded like the heavily edited, yet beloved animated program from 1985.

Developer Vicious Cycle had access to every bit of Robotech goodness Harmony Gold could give them while putting this game together and it shows. However when we say Robotech: Battlecry emulates every aspect of the television show that includes the annoying parts too. The ships, battles and explosions of both the game and the show are great and would compel anybody to invest themselves in Robotech. If the show could be slowed down by the multiple drawn out love stories, then the game certainly gets bogged down by gameplay that eventually gets repetitive and cheesy AI that doesn't present enough new challenges.

Features

First and most authentic Robotech shooter will please any fan

Five chapters with up to 14 missions a piece

Veritechs provide three different vehicle modes: Guardian, Fighter, and Battloid at any time

First and secondary fire options ups the strategy level

Two-player deathmatch style multiplayer

Cel-shaded visuals work wonderfully for the Robotech presentation

Supports progressive scan for the HDTV community

Gameplay There's certainly more good than bad in Robotech and the developers at Vicious Cycle nailed the most important part of any Robotech-themed game: the Veritech fighters. Switching between Guardian, Fighter, Battloid at the flick of the D-pad is extremely handy and very important control element of the game. Because each Veritech form has different special moves and slightly different weapon attributes, Battlecry eventually forces you to make snap decisions and switch to the most effective form when the situation demands it. In a dogfight in space, you'll spend most of your time in jet fighter form since you'll need the long-range missiles and speed to battle the Zentraedi battle pods and ships. But when you're faced with overwhelming odds --which is usually how the game steps up the difficulty-- like six or seven enemies launching a half dozen missiles at you each launching the fighter's countermeasures may not be enough to get you out of trouble. A quick switch to Battloid mode and a tap of the secondary fire button (machine guns, in all three modes, are always the primary fire) will put the Battloid's rapid-fire rifle to use shooting incoming missiles out of the air.

The uniqueness of each Veritech form continues with the control scheme and special abilities. The human looking Battloid mode gives you access to the high-powered rifle as we mentioned above with both rapid fire and single shot function as well as sniper function, which is usually only applied in sniper-specific missions. It can fly by use of the jets in its feet but it's much slower and extremely maneuverable compared to the Guardian and Fighter modes. The Jet fighter is the obviously the fastest and least maneuverable but its missiles have the greatest range and its countermeasures are extremely handy when you need to divert enemy missiles away from a target like an important convoy for the Earth Defense Forces or a recon ship. The Guardian is supposed to split the difference between the Battloid and Fighter modes so you get the arms and legs as well as the cockpit section and wings. The missiles of the Guardian are powerful but don't have as much range as the Fighter's. The Guardian's special ability allows you to pick up objects with one of the hands.

Each Veritech has different controls for getting around. Where pressing the turbo button in Fighter mode sweeps the wings backs and kicks on the afterburners, the same button activates the hover jets in the Battloid and propels you upward. Likewise, hitting turbo in Guardian mode pushes you forward but you've got to hold it down to keep moving. So in quickly switching around the different forms, you also have to be ready for the new control scheme so that you'll immediately benefit from that form.

Vicious Cycle nailed the Veritechs right down to the one, two or four lasers mounted in the heads of the VF-1A, VF-1J and VF-1S and the different armor, speed, agility, missile power and targeting systems of each. When you unlock the battle armor for space missions you get the booster rockets and added missile capacities for all three forms. As cool as the armor is, the enemies don't let you enjoy it for very long since they absolutely bombard you once they see it.

Where Robotech: Battlecry stumbles is in the variety and challenges of missions. There are five chapters with up to 14 missions in each and little cinemas between each to advance the story line as told from Jack Archer's (Wolf 10) perspective. While it's great to see Lisa Hayes and Roy Fokker pop up in the cinemas and on the communicator, what ends up happening is a repetitive mix of search & rescue, assault, timed defense and escort missions with a few subtle variations of each. Also you're limited to either space/air dogfights or land based battles. Sometimes in the dogfights there will be a Zentraedi cruiser or other structure you can land on so you can slug it out in Battloid mode and likewise there will be times where zooming through a land mission in a jet will help you out. But by the time you're halfway through the game you will have seen every type of mission variable there is.

You'll notice the cheesiness of R:B when you face the numerous Zentraedi bosses that always end up picking fights with you. Their missiles and lasers seem hundreds of times more powerful than anything you've faced up to that point and suddenly your missiles and machine guns can't pierce Zentraedi armor. Furthermore there will be times when you'll be expected to face some bosses with whatever health you have left after you've fought through a mission with waves of enemies. In platform games this is understandable, but it gets frustrating in Robotech: Battlecry because it degenerates into a dodge-attack routine that undermines the coolness of the ships and themes of the Robotech universe.